Amber company eyes Chinese market

The Kaliningrad Amber Combine, the flagship of the Russian amber industry, plans to vigorously expand its presence in the Chinese market, with the core objective of "making Chinese consumers fall in love with Baltic amber", said Mikhail Zatsepin, general director of the company.

"We are well aware of the strong interest Chinese consumers have in amber, so we will strive to ensure that the Chinese market has access to a richer variety of amber products," Zatsepin said.

Founded in 1947, the Kaliningrad Amber Combine is located in the western Russian region of Kaliningrad near the town of Yantarny. The combine has become one of the largest industrial enterprises in the region, and is home to more than 90 percent of the world's proven amber reserves, which were formed approximately 40 to 50 million years ago.

In 2014, the combine was transferred to the management of Russian state corporation Rostec, and is now affiliated with its financial holding company RT-Finance. The latest figures show the company's annual amber extraction volume reached a record 600 metric tons, doubling its previous output.

The combine operates across the entire industry chain, integrating extraction, sales and processing, Zatsepin noted. It not only handles mining but also independently designs and manufactures amber products, with an average annual output of 170,000 pieces.

"Today, we are the only company in the world conducting large-scale industrial extraction. In the field of amber, we are both a leader in Russia and a benchmark in the international market," he said.

At present, the company's amber products are sold through its own retail chain. It has opened a total of 12 stores in locations including the Kaliningrad region, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Speaking of the company's overseas objectives, Zatsepin highlighted that China accounts for 80 percent of its amber raw material exports. Recently, the combine sent a team to Harbin, Heilongjiang province, to showcase its products at the China-Russia Expo. The company has also opened a store in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to promote direct sales, and plans to build a themed museum.

"We hope this initiative will allow the Chinese public to directly understand the historical context of amber extraction and processing," Zatsepin said.

In addition to mining and crafting amber products, the combine is continuously exploring the high-end fashion sector, striving to make it a highlight of its increasing cooperation with China. Zatsepin said the company has established the world's only "Amber Fashion House", integrating amber as a core element into clothing designs, such as buttons, embroidery and decorative details. To date, the enterprise has successfully held two amber-themed fashion shows in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and at the Russian Embassy in Beijing.

"We are actively promoting the integration of amber with fashion categories such as exquisite apparel, accessories and women's handbags. Although this endeavor is in its initial stages, the existing achievements have already generated an enthusiastic response in the Chinese market," Zatsepin said, adding that the combine plans to showcase a new collection of fashion pieces at Shanghai Fashion Week 2026 in October.

Tourism is also one of the company's objectives for business expansion. The combine's industrial park features the Amber Hall museum, which displays various raw amber stones and uniquely shaped amber crafts. An observation deck and an immersive experience zone have been built near the seaside quarry, where visitors can try their hand at "mining" amber.